Gratitude in the Garden

“You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”

– Shaun Hick

I hope you are having a splendid summer!

Have I mentioned recently how incredibly grateful I am to have a quiet, peaceful (and beautiful) garden to relax in?

For those of you have been readers of my blog for awhile, you may recall the frustration I experienced at my previous home in Sidney, BC (near Victoria). Though beautiful, my garden was anything but quiet or peaceful.

Between the extremely noisy neighbours on one side (band saw, power washer, weed wacker used to cut the ENTIRE lawn, screaming children, fighting parents, pounding base from the booming stereo, etc) and the busy street out front, it’s a wonder this writer lasted seven years at that abode.

At least I got a heck of a good story out of the experience (a play script entitled “Bungalow by the Sea”)! Making lemonade from lemons, as it were.

However, now that those noisy neighbourhood days are behind me (for now anyway) I can’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, those less-than-stellar outdoor living conditions helped pave the way for me to fully appreciate the quiet garden (and street) and I have now?

Not a day goes by that I don’t look to the sky and give a word of thanks to the powers-that-be for the gift of being able to actually sit or putter in my own garden (without having to wear ear protection) and enjoy the peace, tranquility and beauty it has to offer.

As much as I love my work, when I do take breaks, it is awfully nice to be able to hear the chirping of birds versus the screech of a band saw.

The fact that my home & garden are a five minute’s drive from a stunning sandy beach where I can walk for miles, swim (the water is warm because of the big tides) and collect sand dollars at low tide is, truth be told, far beyond my wildest dreams.

I always dreamed of being a “writer by the sea” – but I didn’t realize, until just a few years ago, that a beach like this even existed in Canada. I suspect this is yet another example of our souls keeping important information from us until the time is right.

How about you?

Or…what difficult situation are you currently experiencing that you will be very happy to be done with – and are promising the powers-that-be that you WILL appreciate a better scenario, when it finally does get delivered?

Here are a few snaps of my surroundings this summer: 

Related Blogs by Maryanne

Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

Sometimes Things Have to Go Springer Before They Settle

When Opportunity Knocks at the Door – Literally

Lessons Learned From an Epic Hike

Maryanne Pope is the author of A Widow’s Awakening, the playwright of Saviour and the screenwriter of God’s Country. Maryanne is CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and Chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her weekly blog, Weekly Words of Wisdom, please sign up here.